Orlando eyes GOP, Democratic conventions

Local officials think hosting the political gatherings would boost the economy.

January 14, 2006|By Mark Schlueb, Sentinel Staff Writer

Local politicos want to bring a national political convention to Orlando in 2008, but with a Democrat running the city and a Republican running the county, which one should they go after?

Both.

Late Thursday, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, a Democrat, sent a letter to his party's chairman confirming the City Beautiful's interest in hosting the 2008 Democratic National Convention. By Friday morning, Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, a Republican, was announcing his own hope of bringing a convention here -- the Republican National Convention.

It doesn't mean there's a new battle brewing in O-Town. Both mayors admit they'd just be happy to land either one -- for the international spotlight it would shine on Orlando.

"Florida has been on the national stage in presidential politics," Dyer said. "It's only natural that both parties would want to hold conventions in this state."

Neither the city nor the county has made a bid for one political convention before, let alone both. No U.S. city has hosted both in the same year in more than 30 years because the two parties generally try to keep their distance from each other.

Four years ago, Crotty and then-Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood even ruled out hosting the 2004 political conventions after being invited to apply. They said it would be too expensive, with the price tag for putting on just one of the heavily orchestrated political shows ranging from $20 million to $60 million in private contributions. The Democratic convention instead went to Boston, and the GOP convention went to New York.

Neither mayor officially has thrown Orlando's name in the hat yet, but both said they probably will and they will figure out the economic questions for the region during the application process.

The Democratic National Committee sent letters to about 30 cities in November inviting them to request a bid packet, and Friday was the deadline to make that request. Party officials would not say how many other cities expressed interest in the convention scheduled for the last week in August 2008. Denver's mayor also responded Thursday, and New York is thought to be among the favorites.

Dyer said he asked DNC Chairman and former presidential candidate Howard Dean whether Orlando should bother applying when the two attended the party's state convention here last month. The response was enthusiastic, Dyer said.

"I'm always interested in high-profile things that bring acclaim to the community," Dyer said. "Hosting either convention would be good for the community."

Dates have not been set for the Republican convention, which is typically held after the Democratic rally. Crotty said his chief of staff made it clear in a phone call with national party officials that he is interested in hosting the GOP gathering. And like Dyer, Crotty expressed support for the rival party's gathering.

"On a good day we'd get either of them," Crotty said. "We need to go after both if it can be done. But doing both would be exponentially more difficult."

No one has estimated how much money a convention would bring to Orlando, but Boston reported an economic boost of $156 million when it played host city in 2004. Still, the demands of a political convention are enormous. It requires more convention space than most cities can muster to provide room for more than 35,000 party delegates, political heavyweights and business leaders, not to mention thousands of news reporters from around the globe.

The Orange County Convention Center, with about 2 million square feet of exhibition space, certainly fits the bill. But a political convention would likely put the center out of commission for weeks, including setup time.

Center Director Tom Ackert said the center, which schedules trade shows 10 years or more in advance, already has 13 scheduled during the political-convention season. But summer is the slow season for trade shows, and Ackert said that with enough warning it might be possible to reschedule some of those already on the calendar.

"I think it's definitely worthwhile to get in the hunt and see if it works for the community," Ackert said.

No city has hosted both political conventions in the same year since 1972, when the party faithful of both stripes descended on Miami -- the only Florida city to ever land a convention. Miami also hosted the GOP in 1968.

The hunt for a city will likely consume all of 2006. Cities making a list of finalists will get a visit from party officials, with the winning cities likely announced in the late fall or in early 2007.

Local leaders of both parties said their political rivals are welcome in Orlando.

"I don't agree with a lot of what the Republicans say, but I can't argue with their dollars," Orange Democratic Party head Tim Shea said. "It would be great for Orange County to get either or both of them."

Orange GOP Chairman Lew Oliver was equally welcoming.

"I'd rather have the Republican convention, all things considered," Oliver said. "But either one would be good, and one thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on is that we all want the best for our community."